Train-operated crossing-gate.



I WITNESSES H. A. LUTZ.

. mm OPERATED "CROSSING GATE.

APPLICATION FILED lULY 14, I911- I 1,559, Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

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- INVENTOR ATTORNEY H. A. LUTZ.

TRAIN OPERATED CROSSING GATE.

APPLICATION FILED lULY 14.1911.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

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% WQ W ATTORTEY NTT STATE PATENT @FFTQEQ HARVEY A. LUTZ, 0F MOUNT JOY, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN-OPERATED cnossmo-cnrn.

Application filedl July 1 1, 1917. Serial No. 180,552.

To all whom it may conoemz Be it known that I, HARVEY A. LUTZ, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Mount J oy, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train- Operated Crossing-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to train operated crossing. gates.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed and eificient mocha-- nism for lowering and raising a crossing gate operable by anoncoming train at a point remote from the crossing.

Another object is to so construct an apparatus of this character that the front Wheels of an approaching engine will operate to lower the gate, and when the engine passes beyond the crossing it will operate means to raise the gate thereby preventing people from crossing the track in front of an en gine.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a crossing gate and its actuating mechanism shown with the gate in lowered position and the parts of the actuating mechanism in the positions which they assume when-the gate is lowered, v

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the gate in raised position, i

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan diagrammatic view,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic elevation,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the trip lever, and

Fig. 7 is a detail of the trip shown in Fig. 6 looking at the edge thereo In the embodiment illustrated, a gate actuating trip 1 is shown in theform of a bell crank lever fulcrumed on a railway track with one arm in position to be engaged by the wheels of an oncoming train and the other arm of this lever is disposed below the tread of the track rails and has a cable 2 connected at one end with thefree end of the depending arm of said trip. This cable 2 extends from the trip 1 and is connected at its opposite end with one end of a latch 3 which is pivotally mounted intermediately of its ends on a suitable support and has its upstanding end curved laterally inward to form a block engaging finger 4. A coiled spring 5 bears at one end against the piv- .oted latch member 3 at a point between the cable 2 and its fulcrum and at its other end against a suitable-support indicated at 6. This spring 5 is a compression spring and exerts a pulling action on latch 3 so as to normally force the block engaging finger 4: toward block 7, and said finger is designed to hook over theupper edge of said block and hold it in retracted position as will be now described. This block 7 is mounted to move vertically at a point below the gate 20 and has a coiled expansion spring 8 ar ranged below it and which exerts its tension normally to force said block upward, the block being held down against the tension of its spring by means of the finger 4 on latch 3, as is shown clearly in Fig. l.

A post 9 rises from the top of block 7 and has its upper end beveled as shown at 10, said bevel being inclined downwardly to ward the rear to facilitate the passage thereover of the wheels of an approaching train, it being understood that said post is located adjacent one of the rails of the track so that it may be readily depressed by the wheel of an approaching train.

A standard 11 also rises from block 7 and has a platform 12 mounted on its upper end which carries a coiled spring 13 which is designed to bear against one end of the gate 20 as is shown clearly in Fig. 1.

The gate 20 is shown in the form of an ordinary crossing gate which constitutes the usual bar fulcrumed at 21 adjacent one side of the crossing with its longer end adapted to swing across the crossing parallel with the track rails.' The shorter end 22 of this gate is provided at its free end with a weight 23 which operates to raise gate 20 when the pressure of spring 13 is overcome or rendered neutral by the lowering of the clock 7 which supports it in a Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 12, 1918.,

manner presently to be described. This open position after the engine has crossed the roadway or crossing at which the gate is erected as will be presently more fully described.

It is to be understood that a similar trip or post 9 is arranged at the opposite side of the track and mounted in the same manner as the first mentioned post 9. A rod 14: connects the two latches 3 on opposite sides of the track and extends under the track. Another rod 15 connects the two blocks 7 at opposite sides ofthetraek so that the blocks and trips will be operated simultaneously by the pass ing of the train for raising or lowering the gates, one of which is disposed on each side of the track. V e

Inthe operation of this apparatus, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the engine of an oncoming train first hits trip 1 thereby rocking the bell crank and eX- erting a pulling action on cable -2, and this pulling action is transmitted through said cable to the latch 3 and torces the lower end of said latch inwardly against the tension of its spring 5 thereby causing its catch.

finger 4 to be disengaged from the upper edge of the block 7. Immediately this disengagement occurs the spring 8 expands and raises block 7 carrying with it the trip or post 9 and also the standard 11. This rais ing of the standard 11' causes the spring 13 to be compressed between the platform 12 and the short arm 22 of the gate and thus "lorces said arm upwardly and its longer arm downwardly into position across the road. The gate will remain in this position until the engine passes the crossing and the front wheels thereof en gage trip 9 and force it downwardly carrying with it the block '7 and thereby compressing spring 8. This downward movement of block 7 is continued until the catch finger a of the latch 3 springs over the upper edge of said block and thus locks it in lowered position against the tension of sprin'gS. WVhen this block 7 is so lowered the spring 13 will be released or rendered neutral and the weight23 will then operate to swing the gate 20 into raised open position.

' While this apparatus will operate to lower a gate on the approach of a train, thegate will. not'remain in lowered position during the entire passage of the train, but will swing upwardly as above described immediately the engine passes the crossing, but it will operate to prevent people from passing in front of an engine and after the engine passes, they can readily see the'train of cars following it.

described the principle of operation of the invention together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereot, Ide'sire to have it understood that the device shown merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are within the scope or theclaimed invention.

claimzf r v 1. The combination of agate mounted to swing over a crossing, atrip located at a point remote from the crossing for actuation by an oncoming train, a vertlcally movable spring projected member positioned below and operatively connected to said gate, a spring projected latch for holding said memher in lowered inoperative position, a post carried by said member andadapted to project into the path of the wheels of atrain when the member is in raised position and the gate is closed whereby-theengine wheels will operate to depress said member into position for engagement by said latch to provide for the opening of the gate, .a cable connecting said trip and latch whereby the latch is released against the tension of its spring on the depression of the-tri and means for opening the gate on the depression of-said post. i 3 e 2. The comb. nation Ora gate mounted to swing over a crossing, a trip located at a point remote from the crossing for actuation by an oncoming train, a vertically movable 7 spring projected member positioned: below and adjacent to the gate, a spring projected latch for holding saidmember in lowered inoperative position, a cable connecting said trip and latch whereby the latch isreleased against the tension of its spring on the depression of the trip, and a coiled spring carried by said vertically. movable member between it and the short arm of said gate whereby on the release of said vertically movable member the gate is forced into closedposition, 7 r

3. The combination of a gate mounted to swing'over a crossing,a trip located at a point remote from the crossing) for actuation by an oncoming train, a vertically movable spring projected member positioned below and adjacent to the gate, a spring projected latch for holding said member in lowered inoperative position, acable connecting said trip and latch whereby the latch is released against the tension of its spring, on the depression of the trip, a coiled springcarri'ed by said vertically movable member between it andthe short arm of said gate whereby 0n the release of said vertically vmovable 'member the gate is forced into closed position, and a weight carried by the short arm of said gate for raising the gate when its closing spring is rendered neutral.

4. The combination of a supporting structure, a gate fulcrumed intermediately of its ends on said structure to swing in a vertical plane, a vertically movable member positioned below said gate, a coiled expansion spring supporting said member, a spring actuated latch for holding said member in lowered position against the tension of its supporting spring, a platform supported on said member, a coiled spring arranged between said platform and the short end of said gate whereby the gate is forced into closed position on the release of said vertically movable member, and a flexible connection between said trip and latch whereby the latch is disengaged from the vertically movable member on the depression of the trip.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY A. LUTZ.

Witnesses:

DAVID E. LUTz, R. L. MARTIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. I 

